Association – Spiritual Questhttp://www.spiritualquest.co.in
Sun, 27 Apr 2014 15:59:12 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.5Fortune Pushed into Our Pockethttp://www.spiritualquest.co.in/practice/association/fortune-pushed-pocket/
http://www.spiritualquest.co.in/practice/association/fortune-pushed-pocket/#respondFri, 08 Apr 2011 13:30:52 +0000http://www.spiritualquest.co.in/?p=680Today is the occasion of the disappearance day of His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada who has touched the hearts and minds of so many people around the world. His example and his teachings continue to inspire those who are touched by him, his movement and especially his books. Srila Prabhupada was living, breathing Bhagavatam. He was not looking for anything for himself but only concerned about what he can give all of us. He was constantly absorbed simply in the mood of trying to liberate as many conditioned souls as possible.

The following incident from the life of Srila Prabhupada proves how we have all been made fortunate by Srila Prabhupada.

Once one of the disciples of Srila Prabhupada asked him, “If someone is in a very degraded condition of life, modes of ignorance and passion. His mind always disturbed. In surrendering to Krishna, is it possible that he can be independent even of the mind?”

Prabhupada said, “You are independent of the mind always. It is your mind. You are not the mind. Then you are independent of the mind always.” The disciple again asked, “So even a person merged in the mode of ignorance can by some good fortune surrender to Krishna?”

“Not good fortune”, Prabhupada told, “God, Krishna says, ‘You do it. Here!'” Immediately you become fortunate. There is no question of waiting for becoming fortunate. You become fortunate immediately. Suppose if I say, ‘Take this bag, $100000.’ You can take it. Immediately you become rich man. Why don’t you take it?”

Understanding Prabhupada’s point that even good fortune is dependent on the mercy of the Lord, another disciple asked howkripa-siddhi (perfection attained simply by the blessings of a superior person) works.

Prabhupada’s reaction took everyone by surprise. ‘krpa-siddhi, means that you are not willing to take this bag of money. I say, ‘Take it! Take it! Take it!”. Prabhupada suddenly turned and very vigorously pushed the disciple in the stomach, as if he were trying to give him the imaginary bag. Everyone broke out laughing and were simultaneously astonished and delighted at the sudden abrogation of the formal guru disciple relationship. Srila Prabhupada continued the mimicry and the pushing. He feigned resistance – ‘No!’ – and then began pushing again. ‘That is krpa-siddhi. Even you are unwilling, I give you in your pocket, push it, that is krpa-siddhi.”

So on this day let us remember with gratitude, this great acharya who has forced the good fortune on all of us only because of his genuine compassion, purity and grace.

Thank you very much.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Vaijayanthimala devi dasi
Abudhabi

]]>http://www.spiritualquest.co.in/practice/association/fortune-pushed-pocket/feed/0If You Don’t Read, Then You Will Feel Restlesshttp://www.spiritualquest.co.in/practice/association/read-feel-restless/
http://www.spiritualquest.co.in/practice/association/read-feel-restless/#commentsWed, 06 Apr 2011 16:12:42 +0000http://www.spiritualquest.co.in/?p=656We have been trying to practice Krishna consciousness for so many years but still we find the real bliss eludes us. Still we find we have not developed the taste for chanting the holy names. We know that as per Srimad Bhagavatam the human form of life is so valuable and we should take advantage very quickly and not postpone our serious spiritual practices. One of the most important aspect of spiritual practices in developing the taste for devotional service is reading of Srila Prabhupada’s books especially Srimad Bhagavatam. But nowadays we are more interested in showing statistical numbers of devotees we have generated without the underlying important aspect of perfecting our own saadhanaa – chanting the holy names with full attention. We are so much misled that we don’t understand that one of the topmost guiding principles given by Srila Prabhupada is “Books are the basis”. Srila Prabhupada is not insane to put Srimad Bhagavatam class during the morning hours and Srimad Bhagavad Gita in the evening hours. He could have put any other books but he did not do so. Because he knows the whole movement is mainly based on these two books. But that does not mean we should not read other books. Of course all the books are also important but the basic principle is not to ignore these two particular books. As our Guru Maharaj says that even one verse takes so much of time to understand and assimilate and we don’t have enough life time to complete Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavad gita, Chaitanya Caritamrta and others.

We can see a wonderful part of the lecture given by Srila Prabhupada on Srimad Bhagavatam 2.9.14 on the importance of reading his books. This lecture was given in Melbourne, April 13, 1972.

“You don’t read. In the first volume of Bhagavata these things are explained. But I don’t think you read all these things. Do you read?So if you don’t read, then you will feel restless: “Oh, let me go from Japan to India, from India to Japan.” You are restless because you don’t read.I am laboring so hard for you, but you don’t take advantage. Don’t take advantage of eating and sleeping. Take advantage of these books. Then your life will be successful.My duty — I have given you so valuable things, day and night trying to convince you, each word to word. And if you don’t take advantage of this, then what can I do for you?“

“After many, many births and deaths one achieves the rare human form of life, which, although temporary, affords one the opportunity to attain the highest perfection. Thus a sober human being should quickly endeavor for the ultimate perfection of life as long as his body, which is always subject to death, has not fallen down and died. After all, sense gratification is available even in the most abominable species of life, whereas Krsna consciousness is possible only for a human being.“

Srila Prabhupada is pleading from the core of his heart to study his books and we just simply ignore his pleading. How can we expect to cross over the hurdle of birth and death? As our Maharaj says, “Kaliyuga forces are so powerful that it will drag you to faithlessness everyday and therefore everyday we have to recharge our faith by reading Srila Prabhupada’s books.“

I therefore pray to Srila Prabhupada, Gurudev and Lord Sri Krishna to shower Their special mercy so that I understand the value of Srila Prabhupada’s books and take advantage of them.

Thank you very much.

Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva,
Sajjanapriya Krishna das
Abudhabi

This is in conclusion of the previous offering on the topic, “Run to Krishna”, transcribed based on our beloved Guru Maharaj’s lecture delivered in Durban in December 1994. Maharaj explained the pastime of Parikshit Maharaj being attacked by the fiery weapon released by Ashwathama and how Uttara ran to Krishna and prayed to the Lord to protect her womb.

Uttara said: “O Lord of Lords, Lord of the Universe! You are the greatest of mystics. Please protect me, for there is no one else who can save me from the clutches of death in this world of duality.“

Uttara was completely upset about the whole situation. She thought, ‘even if I am killed I don’t worry but if my embryo is aborted that is the greatest difficulty.’ She went running and hurriedly she is calling Krishna ‘pahi pahi mahayogin deva deva jagatpate’. Beautiful prayer you know. ‘Pahi pahi‘ – ‘please protect me.’ She said, ‘I don’t worry if I am killed but don’t allow my embryo to be killed’. That is the mother. Mother can tolerate anything and everything but mother can never tolerate the loss of her children or embryo and that is mother. And if you cannot tolerate the loss of your children, how can you cut the animal and eat the meat? They are the children of cow or somebody. How can you take the chicken and cut the neck? This lunacy has got to be stopped and we must thank Srila Prabhupada. If he would not have come to these countries, we would have remained in complete darkness of ignorance.

This is the main essence of our scriptures. From today, all the living entities who are hearing this, please we request you from our heart, don’t again commit the sinful activity of killing the living entities. May be it is a cow or goat or chicken. No. there is plenty of things Krishna has given to eat. Vegetables are so very cheap. Do not run after these things.

Uttara says in her prayers that I do not see anybody else apart from you, who can save us from mrtyu in the world of duality. We are all facing death. We should always pray to Krishna very loudly. Please repeat the prayer.

We are all facing this fiery weapon and before it comes very near to us and kills us, we must shout this prayer always. At the moment our air is polluted, our water is polluted. You are the luckiest people on this planet because at least you get the fresh water to drink. We are coming from England and England is the first world wherein we drink purified urine. Seven times the water is to be recycled. Think of your luck. We have killed our air, we have killed our sky, and we have polluted our clouds. We have polluted our water, we have polluted our own food and this is the fiery arrow approaching us daily and we should become fiery with the prayer of the Lord,

This is in continuation of the previous offering of our beloved Guru Maharaj’s lecture delivered in Durban in December 1994. Maharaj explained the pastime of Parikshit Maharaj being attacked by the fiery weapon released by Ashwathama.

“You very well know Parikshit Maharaj. He was in the womb of his mother Uttara and that time, after finishing the work in Hastinapura, Lord wanted to leave for Dwaraka and Krishna was ready sitting on the chariot to leave for Dwaraka. In the meantime, Ashwathama, the son of guru Dronacarya, he released the brahmastra to kill Parikshit Maharaj, the last heir of the Pandavas. He wanted to destroy the Pandavas and before he did so, he had already killed five children of Draupadi. He wanted to completely destroy the race of the Pandavas. He thought that by killing the five children, his master Duryodhana will be very happy and Duryodhana at that time, was lying in the battlefield of Kurukshetra dying and Ashwathama thought, ‘I will run to Duryodhana and tell him this good news. So at least his death will be alright.’ So he killed the five children of Draupadi and went running to Duryodhana in the battlefield. Duryodhana was dying and Ashwathama said, “Duryodhana, I have done good job for you“. Duryodhan asked, “What is it?” He said, “I have killed the five sons of Pandavas. Now they do not have any heir apparent.” You will be surprised to know what Duryodhana replied for this. He said, “You have done a very bad job. You have killed all our race“. At the time of death, the demon also comes to his senses. We have to remember death. We all have to go sooner or later.

“O great hero, one who takes birth is sure to die, for death is born with the body. One may die today or after hundreds of years, but death is sure for every living entity.”

These are our transcendental scriptures. You say one verse and you are connected to Krishna and by this pure contact you will be enlivened. Your health will improve. As soon as your health improves, your material activities will improve and nobody will be able to disturb you because you are unflinchingly attached to the supreme power. This is the way to come to the scriptures. Vasudeva is explaining to Kamsa that , “Please do not be afraid of death. mrtyur janmavataam veera – with the birth , the death is born.” All of us are going to die. Those who have accepted birth, they have to die. There is no other way we can escape, however we try. We try to stay in Durban which is a beautiful city. We want to be in South Africa because it is a land of plenty but all these arrangements fall short and nobody can save us at the time of death. dehena saha jaayate – it is already born with our body.adya vaa – either today, or abda shataante vaa – or after hundred years, we are definitely sure to die and those who remember this, they never commit any sinful activity. Those who remember the death, they don’t become crazy. Those who forget death, they become crazy and in our craziness, we catch hold of the cow and cut it and eat it and we make a big thing out of it that if you eat meat, you will get protein. From a dead body, can you get protein? If you get protein from dead body, our grand father also dies, then you have a feast on grandfather. Why do you burn his body? You eat your grandfather. Anybody dies in your family, have a nice Sunday feast, if the dead body gives you protein. Dead body cannot and can never give. This is the instruction of our scriptures.

Our lives are put on a right track and as soon as you are on the right track you go fast to Krishna and that is the perfection of human existence. The dogs can’t do. The cows can’t do. We can very well do in this species and please hurry up. Time is running out. Every day Sun rises and sets and our life decreases. There is nobody in Durban also who increases his life. Everybody is decreasing the life.

Anyway, when Ashwathama could not satisfy Duryodhana, Duryodhana died eventually. But Ashwathama was the dead enemy of the Pandavas and so in the womb of Uttara, he wanted to kill Parikshit Maharaj. When Uttara saw that the the fiery arrow is approaching her to kill her womb, there was no way to escape from it. So she ran to Krishna and the beautiful verse is there, how she prayed. Beautiful. Hear the verse. Uttara prays to Krishna and Krishna is just on the verge of departure from Hastinapura. She says, “Please, please, Lord stop!” Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.9:

We are all spiritual aspirants who are leading a material life. Hence always the question comes in front us as to how to balance this equation. Our beloved Guru Maharaj very lovingly guides us regarding this, in his inimitable style, in one of the lectures he delivered in Durban, South Africa in December 1994. I am trying to post the transcription of a portion of the lecture, for all our benefit.

“We have to remember that on the one hand, we have to lead our material responsible lives and on the other hand, the instruction of the scriptures is that our mind has got to be engaged always in thinking of the Lord. Our lives have to be surrendered. These are the two positions we are caught in the material world. The shastras are very clear regarding the instructions. Krishna Himself says in Bhagavad Gita 18.46,

“By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, a man can attain perfection through performing his own work.”

Beautiful two lines. He says, ‘yatah pravrttir bhutaanaam‘- all living entities will have to perform the different material duties according to their circumstances and all these activities are coming out of the Supreme Absolute Truth Krishna. ‘yena sarvam idam tatam‘ – because He is all-pervading. Everywhere He is situated. “mattah parataram naanyat kincit asti dhananjaya –Apart from Me, you don’t see anything in the manifestation. You be sure about it“, He tells to Arjuna. If this is so, then every living entity is advised, ‘sva karmana‘ – through his own actions, ‘tam abhyarcya‘ – you have to worship the Supreme Absolute Truth Krishna and then if you do that, ‘siddhim vindati maanavah‘ – then those living entities will definitely attain perfection.

We are sitting in these stages and so many programs and stalls and stands are going on, it is all because living entities like you, who are situated in their own occupational duties they are helping us to do these things. This is the way to link our daily work to Krishna’s service. You please do not disturb yourself. Do not run away from your work. You please start only one thing. That is you keep the chanting beads and start chanting “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare”. Unless you do this, your life is completely useless. Without remembering Krishna, whatever you do, is His illusory energy and illusory energy is compared to mirage. In the desert, you see the water, but as soon as you run to drink the water, there is no water at all. It appears that there is water. Without Krishna , you may feel that you are very happy and happiness is just within our reach, but you can’t be really happy without remembering the Absolute truth.

These are very clear instructions from Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavad Gita is our preliminary science. In any difficult situation and we have so many difficult situations, please don’t grind yourself in the miserable condition. Instead run to Krishna in the temple or have a nice temple altar in your own house. And you will experience that as soon as you go to Krishna and just join your hands and tell Him, “Prabhu, I am yours. I am in a difficult condition. Please do whatever you like, but I can’t bear this“. And if you request Him, you will see miraculously the difficulties disappear. This is something from the practical experience. It is not a mentally concocted idea. No.

“Vedyam vaastavam atra vastu shivadam taapatrayonmulanam“- The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. Vedyam – as soon as you try to know Krishna, and to know Krishna, as I told you,communion with the Lord by transmission of the transcendental sound vibration “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare” is non-different from the whole spirit Krishna. The sound vibration is non-different from the Lord. You chant a simple verse and a simple prayer and that transmission of the sound will connect you to the Supreme Absolute Truth. Please do not get rotten into the material atmosphere. We have a powerful father. Recognize the authority of the father and come to Him running, not only at the time of difficulty but all the time we should run to Krishna.

Maharaj explained the pastime of Parikshit maharaj being attacked by Ashwathama’s fiery weapon and how Uttara ran to Krishna for protection and the same shall be posted in the subsequent mail, Krishna willing.

I would like to take this opportunity to share some of the beautiful pointers Maharaj gave in my recent conversation with him. He gave powerful instructions which would inspire us in our struggle to gain a stable footing in our spiritual lives. Maharaj was telling that devotees’ nature centers around 3 simple ‘C’s!! Cool, Calm and Composed. He was explaining very nicely that come what may the material situation be, a devotee always maintains his cool, calm and composed disposition because he sees Krsna’s hand in everything. Maharaj pointedly emphasized that a devotee ought to always bear in mind that Krsna will never mean harm to His devotees in any circumstance. It is only our minds that tosses and turns us topsy-turvy. He referred to 2 beautiful verses in BG 2.2 and 2.3 (Prabhupada has provided thought-provoking purports to these verses) as further evidence. Maharaj is most grave and so very scholarly but yet he is able to inject a witty dose of humour amidst it. And how very lovingly he speaks about devotees and Srima Bhagavatam!! When I mentioned how hesitant I am when it comes to calling him, he very lovingly mentioned, “I am not your Guru, I don’t believe in such things. I am actually your father.” And with a further touch of sweetness he remarked, “Does a son need to fix an appointment to see his father?!!” He oozes so much of love that it is so difficult to pen it in words. Despite my wretched material existence, many times I have wondered what little good fortune I must have done to have come under his shelter. For the past 10 years, he has filled the deep vacuum in my heart with so much of sweet memories. I can only thank him so much for that. I would like to take the liberty and quote something very nice Subhadra Mataji had written in an e-mail to me… “In San Diego, there are quite a few Prabhupada disciples, and they always want to come see Gurudeva. Not only does Gurudeva himself actually remind people of Srila Prabhupada, but the way Gurudeva speaks about Srila Prabhupada actually makes Srila Prabhupada’s disciples cry. Gurudeva is a very special personality.”

“Now you should completely give up all attachment to your personal friends and relatives and fix your mind on Me. Thus being always conscious of Me, you should observe all things with equal vision and wander throughout the earth.”

Maharaja explained, “Here the word is sama-drk, seeing everything with equal vision is very important. Without equal vision or equipoise a devotee is incomplete. A devotee of the Lord cannot be unequal in any aspect, not only in the temple and surroundings but also outside in the society and with every person. Equality should be our behavior. At least do not harm others if you cannot help them. Equipoise should be digested completely, just as unless the food is digested only then can the blood be formed, otherwise food is food. Similarly selfish nature vanishes as soon as there is equal vision. Anybody does not go to everybody and ask for some help, but goes only to a particular person who is helpful. Our work is going on and we should not worry about it, but rather worry about others and help them.

As soon as ‘Sama’ is there, the conversation is very wide, it is not centered around our own personality. In this service attitude also we are prone to be misguided. That is why Prabhupada had proved that service to mankind is not service to God. Service to mankind can never be service to God; man is not God and can never be. Our soul is so tiny, how can we be God? There are so many trusts and societies who for the name and fame help and serve the mankind. If you really want to serve humanity at large they should be given Krishna’s name. Preaching is the essence. Only by preaching you can give them the consciousness to know God and love Him by which alone all the miseries and difficulties vanishes. To how many people and how long you are going to serve and help by these so called societies? The population of the world is so much. These trust and societies cannot serve the world headquarter city at its full and what to talk of other parts of the world. This mankind is a limited term because only God is Ananta, unlimited. Krishna can serve everybody, ours is no capacity. Therefore there is no place for misguidance because we are conscious. But we do not condemn this activity, even we are distributing food, opening the schools and managing other activities, but they are all secondary. Even if we run ten schools for this city alone, it is not enough. In the end however, we have to approach Krishna. We are doing to the best of our ability, but our service to God comes first and above everything. Our puja is going on, our kirtan is going on, our book distribution and mangala aratis are continued. Rest are all concomitant activities.

Krishna says in Bhagavad gita 5.18 to Arjuna; “The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a dog-eater.”

We can learn to be good and equal to all from the nature itself. The Sun shines both on the roof of poor and the rich. The rain falls on both a handsome and an ugly person too. The wind, the oxygen does not ask us any identity. And nor does the food that we eat. When nature does not distinguish between anybody who are we to differentiate? For the nature there is no wealth, health or caste distinction. Everything that is created by Krishna is equal for all, but only our material distinctions consider people as Hindus, Christians, Muslims and etc.

Again in Bhagavad gita 9.29 Krishna says, “I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.”

Therefore by no means is anybody unequal in the eyes of Krishna. All are His children. Prabhupada explains to us that “In the Lord’s presence everyone is equal. He is the supreme enjoyer of all sacrifices. Thus He accepts the fruits of everyone’s labor, and by so doing He crowns all His devotees endeavors with glowing success.” Prabhupada tolerated so much to spread Krishna consciousness in the West. He was equal to all and he always found Krishna in all. Seeing Paramatma in all is the secret of his success. If we have to be successful, we should also follow in his footsteps.

People often demand ‘Show me God, and I will believe in Him’. As Srila Prabhupada often said, “God is present everywhere, but we do not have the eyes to see Him.” In Bhagavad gita Krishna tells in five illuminating verses 7.8-12 at least 15 places where we can see Krishna. In Rajkot last year (2006), our spiritual master His Holiness Mahavishnu Goswami gave a discourse on these verses discussing how to see the Lord. In doing so, he shared with us some of his wonderful realizations in devotional service.

“O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.”

1. I am the taste of water.

Srila Prabhupada says: “The taste of water is the active principle of water…Attraction for water depends on the purity of the taste, and this pure taste is one of the energies of the Lord.”

One of the important transformations of water inside our body is saliva. No solid food can go in the food pipe; therefore when we chew the food, water in the body is converted into saliva in the mouth by Krishna’s arrangement for turning the food into juice. Saliva is also antiseptic and essential to the body. Lord Krishna has created this body as purnam idam – a complete whole and has equipped it with an automatic medical system. Everywhere in the intestine antiseptic liquid is present which helps in digestion of different types of food items we eat.

Unfortunately water is depleted in vitality by outside pollution. In addition to outside pollution modern appliances such as the refrigerator and the microwave oven also deplete all foodstuffs including water. An experiment was recently carried out by watering two plants, the first with normal tap water and the second with water heated first in the microwave and then left to cool. The result showed that the plant watered with tap water was showing a normal growth pattern, whereas the microwave watered plant’s growth was stunted. Therefore we should decide to throw two things out of the house: The refrigerator and the microwave oven. At the very least one should reduce the use of these things to the minimum.

Modern medicines however are very harmful and they destroy the saliva and the natural antiseptic liquids within our body. The whole world is misguided in its attempt for survival. The science is to be only dependent on Krishna, and then only can one survive.

Previous to the industrialization of India one could go to the bank of a river, dig a h*** in the sand, and drink the pure water gushing out of the h***. Now however hard we try, this cannot be done. We may be able to turn water into coca-cola, but can we create pure water? The absence of pure water is a reaction of the predominance of anti-Vedic culture. By modern so-called advancement, Krishna is disappearing from our sight. We may have faith in artificial water, but only Krishna knows how they prepare the water.

What can we do in the present circumstances where we cannot even get pure water to drink? The only thing we can do is to take the water that we get, pray intensely and offer it to Krishna, and then it will be purified. Intense prayer will give us the same result as we get from natural products. In the Bhagavad-Gita 10.8 the Lord says aham sarvasya prabhavo, therefore everything must be offered to the Lord. By following this process, our whole being gradually becomes spiritualized and love of God is re-established in our heart.

By knowing these important utilities of water, we can meditate gratefully on the Lord for providing us with all sorts of comforts through this vital medium for our subsistence.

2. I am the light of the sun and the moon.

Srila Prabhupada has explained that the light of the sun and the moon is also originally emanating from the brahmajyoti, which is the impersonal effulgence of the Lord.

Sunshine is the source of health. In countries where sunshine is absent, people are sick both bodily and mentally. When we are mentally disturbed, if we simply see the sunrise and sunset our mind will become very light. Seeing the sunrise and sunset also keeps our eyes healthy. If one regularly looks at the moon one will not get cataract in old age. Man-made pollution such as smog in big cities is again a reaction to our neglect of Krishna, and due to it we cannot experience Krishna in the form of sun and moon.

Even scientifically we all know that it is the sunshine (along with water) that supplies starch to the plants and trees by which they grow. Without sunshine, it is not possible for the plants and trees to grow, what to speak of bearing fruits, flowers etc?

“I enter into each planet, and by My energy they stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby supply the juice of life to all vegetables.”

All the fruits, vegetables, grains etc have the potency to give us physical and mental strength only because they were nourished by Krishna in the form of moonshine. Unfortunately, in this modern world, the fruits, vegetables etc are artificially grown using injected hormones which destroys their natural nourishing strength. When we go against the nature’s law, we are doomed. If we go along with Krishna’s plan, then we will be healthy both mentally and physically. Because we do not see Krishna in sunshine, moonshine etc, we think that we can grow everything artificially.

3-4. I am the syllable om in the Vedic mantras. I am the sound in ether.

Srila Prabhupada explains that pranava, or the omkara transcendental sound in the beginning of every Vedic hymn, addresses the Supreme Lord. Because the impersonalists are very much afraid of addressing the Supreme Lord Krishna by His innumerable names, they prefer to vibrate the transcendental sound omkara. But they do not realize that omkara is the sound presentation of Krishna.

Krishna relays His message across all the creation to every living being. In the Bhagavad gita 15.15 Krishna says:

“I am seated in everyone’s heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedanta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.”

The secondary creator of this universe, Lord Bramha is able to tune in to Krishna’s relay, therefore when there is cosmic disorder he goes to the shore of the causal ocean and by meditation he receives direct instructions from the Supreme Lord within the heart. Since Krishna is also situated in our heart we can in the same way tune ourselves to the relay of Krishna. If we keep on hearing the voice from the heart it will never stop. In order to achieve this, the first step is to shut one’s ears to material sound vibrations. Material sound covers the living entity’s pure awareness. Like in the experiment with water, sound pollution has been found to negatively impact the growth of plants. Any sound which is destructive and atheistic will pollute the consciousness, which in its natural state is completely pure. By constantly chanting the holy names of the Lord and by hearing the message and descriptions of the Lord in Srimad Bhagavad gita and Srimad Bhagavatam, one is always nourished by the Lord in His form as transcendental sound.

5. I am ability in man.

Why do the laborers who carry heavy cement bags on their shoulders and work all day knee deep in cement have their particular duty to perform, while others recite from the scriptures in a peaceful and nurturing atmosphere? While others are scared to even touch the cement which is full of harmful limestone, manual laborers have to stay in touch with it without protective clothing for a whole day, and at the end of the day they get hardly 80 rupees. The difference in abilities we see among men is Krishna. From Him the ability is given according to the desire of the living entity. How can the soul, who measures a tenth thousandth part of the tip of a hair lift cement bags weighing 25 kg up a flight of stairs? Even for turning the pages of the Bhagavatam, the ability is supplied by the Lord.

“I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics.”

6. I am the original fragrance of the earth.

In his purport to the above verse, Srila Prabhupada very nicely explains that punya means that which is not decomposed; punya is original. Everything in the material world has a certain flavor or fragrance, as the flavor and fragrance in a flower, or in the earth, in water, in fire, in air, etc. The uncontaminated flavor, the original flavor, which permeates everything, is
Krishna.

In the beginning of the rainy season the fragrance from the earth appears. Now, due to pollution, such as the use of artificial fertilizers, we are not able to feel this pure fragrance. If water is not polluted it will have the aroma of the earth. Krishna is situated in this pure and original fragrance, but due to our misfortune we have given Him up for economic development. Previously black earth was used to brush the teeth, and during the hot summer the earth would extract the heat from the body giving relief. Caustic soda on the other hand causes burning. Instead of soap they would wash themselves with black earth or chickpea flour. Water mixed with chickpea flour will produce a nice manure, while caustic soda in water is harmful to plants. Formerly no artificial manure was there, and the land was tilled by bullocks who tilled only one or two feet into the ground, so the land did not loose it’s fragrance. When the first tractor was introduced in India, the farmers gathered to protest ‘If the tractor is introduced, what will happen to our animals?’ Now the tractor is produced in India and the tractor tears deep into the land, causing disturbance to the soil. Nobody needs the bullocks any more so they are sent to the slaughter house, even calves are sent for slaughter. The earth herself is a living being and by her goodwill the necessities of life can be taken from the fields. But due to the increase of sinful practices in human society, such as the slaughtering of innocent animals, the earth is loosing her incentive to produce. For this reason the pure aroma of the earth has now disappeared, and even further we have lost our sight of Krishna.

7. I am the heat in fire.

While explaining about fire Srila Prabhupada says, Vibhavasu means fire. Without fire we cannot run factories, we cannot cook, etc., and that fire is Krishna. The heat in the fire is Krishna.

Heat is the best cure. Woodfire is the best but natural coalfire is nearly as good, and Krishna can be felt in the heat from that fire. Therefore natural fire for warmth is very much needed. Previously all the houses in Britain had coalstoves and chimneys, and the people kept good health by taking the heat from the coal. Sunshine is the root of coal, it provides rains and the vegetation grows. At certain intervals in time there is a nuclear disaster on the face of the earth which buries the vegetation. That buried vegetation is made into coal by pressure. Instead of natural fire most houses now have central heating which is unnatural and with the absence of the health benefit of natural fire, people are suffering due to decreased health. In the pre-industrial India houses were always built from natural and locally available materials such as earth. In the summer the earth-houses would be cool, and thus no cooling system was required. Cement houses however need a cooling system, and AC cooling systems in particular are decreasing one’s health. Because we have left simplicity we have become entangled in so many complicated technologies for subsistence that we have no time to fulfill the real purpose of human life,which is self-realization. Therefore to save oneself from becoming entangled by the snare of modern advancement, one should only touch modern advancement to the minimum extent required.

If the dead body is burnt then all the impurities vanish. If buried it takes a long time for the earth to assimilate the remains, and the impure substances remain for a long time. Therefore the end of the body should always be cremation. Wood fire is the best to cremate the body. As soon as possible the dead body should be cremated.

8. I am the life of all that lives.

Srila Prabhupada explains that the duration of man’s life is also due to Krishna. Therefore by the grace of Krishna, man can prolong his life or diminish it.

Awareness of the fact that the Supreme Lord Krishna is present in every living being stops us killing or being harsh to other living entities. We think that a nuclear blast in the pacific will keep us safe in the USA. However by trying to preserve our life by harming others means that we ourselves will be killed, this is the supreme law. All taken together, contact with Krishna through natural things in Krishna consciousness keep us alive, while the absence of such contact surely drains our vitality and renders us miserable.

9. I am the penances of all ascetics.

Austerity is not the monopoly of the hermits of the Himalayas. Even in animals we find austerity. When a calf is sick it will not drink milk, and by fasting it is cured. The body has it’s own cleaning and repair system. By stuffing our intestine with food the repair work cannot go on properly. However if we go to any doctor he will most likely give us some pills and tell us to go on eating in order to get cured. The modern pharmaceuticals are so harmful to the natural system that they cannot be taken on an empty stomach. Therefore in order to save our health we should stop seeing the doctor. In the Mukunda Mala stotra verse 37 it is stated:

“This body’s beauty is fleeting, and at last the body must succumb to death after its hundreds of joints have stiffened with old age. So why, bewildered fool, are you asking for medication? Just take the Krishna elixir, the one cure that never fails.”

If one takes Krishna into one’s unhealthy situation one will definitely be cured. By seeing Krishna everywhere, absorbing oneself in thought about Krishna and by chanting His holy names, one transcends disease altogether. At the very least one should not take food if sick and chant Hare Krishna, thus one comes to realize that Krishna is the only one who can help us in any condition without fail.

“O son of Prtha, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men.”

10. I am the original seed of all existences.

At present farmers are growing artificial seeds produced in the laboratory for maximum yields in the shortest amount of time. These seeds do not give nourishing foods. In the market we find big-sized bananas which look perfect, but when we taste them there is no taste at all. Nowadays practically all foods are artificial, and this reduces our intelligence so that we have to rely on computers and calculators. Writing by hand however is beneficial to both our intelligence and health. Previously one would go to a copier and he would hand-write copies, if one requested 100 copies then he would write them. In this way so many were able to make a living. In England in the sixties and seventies there used to be a milk machine on every corner, where one could get good milk. Now instead of milk, soya-milk is being introduced and advertised as being rich in all vitamins, when it is in fact all artificial. In this way the original seed is being destroyed and further advancement will only destroy everything. In the present situation there is no other way but to surrender to Krishna. The young boys and girls are the bija, or seed, of the future, but no one has time to properly train them, instead we leave them to artificial foods and television, and thus they are being destroyed. We should recognize that they are the seed of the future and train them properly according to the Vedic culture.

11. I am the intelligence of the intelligent.

Vedic culture is common sense culture. We however are making Krishna consciousness difficult because of our complicated intelligence. The presence of intelligence in a person means that he or she will always be calm, cool and composed. The absence of these three is why we do not see Krishna in intelligence. In the Bhagavad gita verse 3.42 it is stated:

“The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence. “

Intelligence is higher than the mind and is the next door neighbour of the soul. The sense objects are gross and can be seen by the eye, and the eyes are controlled by the mind, which is not that fine. Finer than the mind is intelligence, finer than the intelligence is the soul, even finer than the soul is the Supersoul and finest is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By purified intelligence one can perceive the soul, and in Bhagavad gita 18.51-53 we find directions on how to purify the intelligence.

“Being purified by his intelligence and controlling the mind with determination, giving up the objects of sense gratification, being freed from attachment and hatred, one who lives in a secluded place, who eats little, who controls his body, mind and power of speech, who is always in trance and who is detached, free from false ego, false strength, false pride, lust, anger, and acceptance of material things, free from false proprietorship, and peaceful—such a person is certainly elevated to the position of self-realization. “

One should seclude oneself from the activities of the material world. However, how is that possible for instance in a city like Delhi? The practical application for everyone to be secluded from the vicious dealings of the material world is to follow a Krishna conscious life style. A Krishna conscious lifestyle means to 1) avoid meat, fish and eggs, 2) avoid illicit sex life, 3) avoid intoxication, 4) avoid gambling. Following these principles will automatically give seclusion from material life. In most cities one will find parks, and there one can sit under a tree and chant Hare Krishna on one’s japa mala. If there is a separate room in the house one can also take some time there alone with Krishna in the form of His holy names. If there is no separate room one may sit in a corner and chant there. In a big city 15 people may share a single room, if that is the case one may try to find out some secluded corner. Seclusion does not mean simply to go to a place where nobody comes. Only to go to the Himalayas is a wrong idea. Seclusion is always connected to regulations, which means controlling the senses. The most important regulation is to study the Bhagavad-gita with the help of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada, and having spent time in studies, one should think about the matters by oneself. The scriptures have to be interpreted so the common man can follow. Every living entity wants some peace and time on his or her own. For the body to function properly everybody must have his or her own time. To make way for one’s own time, one should make it a rule not to waste time and at least not to waste the time of others in fruitless talks.

12. I am the prowess of all powerful men.

Power is open transcendence, whereas ability is hidden transcendence. In order to realize transcendence one must have direction and power. A half-hearted attempt will never do either in the material or spiritual sphere. To have spiritual prowess one must be fully convinced of one’s goal and then go ahead with full force. This conviction is only attained by one’s individual rigorous endeavor to study the scripture. Then only can the mind be fully convinced to dedicate all attention to the spiritual path. An elevated soul may explain the spiritual matters to us, but unless we dig into it on our own, the mind will never give up the material path.

“I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord of the Bharatas [Arjuna].”

13. I am the strength of the strong.

Unless there is strength nothing can be built. In India roads are built by manpower. The strength in the butcher is also required, but Krishna says “That kaama (strength) I am not”. Somehow or other strength has to be properly directed. For instance one may use one’s strength to promote one’s selfish interest or to protect the weak. If one resolves to take Krishna into one’s situation then the sinful situation will be changed and one’s qualities and capacity will be properly directed. Narada muni once met with a hunter and he told him to stop the hunting and take to spiritual life then everything would be supplied. The hunter agreed, but warned unless everything was truly supplied he would find him out. Soon the word spread in the village that the hunter had sincerely taken to spiritual life. Therefore they came and gave their surplus of vegetables, wheat and milk, and thus the hunter had more than required food for him and his family. Similarly Prabhupada started ISKCON and with no steady income the devotees of ISKCON have always been generously maintained. This is the power of Krishna, who says in the ninth chapter of Bhagavad gita – bhuta-bhrn, “I am the maintainer of all living entities”. Therefore one who thinks that by his endeavors his family is maintained is in illusion. Behind the material scene is Krishna who is supplying the strength to the material body so that it may appear to us that we are the maintainers.

14. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles.

Aham savasya prabhavo, the enjoying propensity comes from Krishna. Contaminated sex-life means that the material elements are there. In order to free ourselves from the material elements we have to free ourselves from undue material elements. When we are hungry, the hunger is Krishna, and to the required amount we are allowed to accept the material things. However in any enjoyment one must bar excess material elements. By accepting a hard bed instead of a soft one, one can more easily get up early. Instead of keeping twelve kurtas, if one can manage nicely with three, why should one keep the nine excess kurtas? Excess material things means worrying to keep those things under our control and in a maintained condition, and this is a waste of our valuable time. Anything which goes against the regulative principles requires that one acquire the taste. For instance whiskey tastes horrible, but that horrible taste one has to acquire if one wants to drink whiskey. Onions and garlic also have a horrible smell, which one has to tolerate. In essence things which are not required for us, we have to work in order to have contact with them. Therefore one should see the foolishness of the so-called enjoyment of the material world and accept only the natural things required for one’s upkeep.

“Know that all states of being-be they of goodness, passion or ignorance-are manifested by My energy. I am, in one sense, everything, but I am independent. I am not under the modes of material nature, for they, on the contrary, are within Me.”

15. The three material modes goodness, passion and ignorance emanate from Me.

Srila Prabhupada explains that under the state laws one may be punished, but the king, the lawmaker, is not subject to that law. Similarly, all the modes of material nature – goodness, passion and ignorance are emanations from the Supreme Lord, Krsna, but Krsna is not subject to material nature. Therefore He is nirguna, which means that these gunas, or modes, although issuing from Him, do not affect Him.

The modes are the energy of the Lord, but being the Supreme controller, He is completely aloof from them. Thus unlike ourselves, who are being swayed by the modes at every moment, Krishna simply witnesses how His inferior material energy works on the living entity. At any moment He can release a living entity from the grip of the modes, but since we would like to fulfill various material desires, he leaves it to us to struggle with the modes. Daivi hi eshaa guna mayi mama maayaa duratyayaa, Krishna says in the Bhagavad gita 7.14 that the material modes are very difficult to overcome, but if one accepts the shelter of the Lord as one’s eternal well-wisher, He supplies one the required intelligence from within so that one may give up one’s attachment to the modes. Thus Krishna is the Supreme Authority and instead of fighting with the modes one should see them as the insurmountable energy of the Lord, and that they are never meant for our enjoyment. In the material world everyone is required to work in order to maintain themselves and from that work fruits will come.

However instead of spending for oneself one should spend for Krishna. Foodstuffs have to be bought daily, but by buying for Krishna and sacrificing the daily meals to Him first, one’s contact with the material nature becomes purified and one becomes Krishna conscious. Everything comes from Krishna and we can thank and worship Him simply by chanting the Holy Names – Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Therefore in the morning you excuse yourself, ‘Now I have to go to work’, and as soon as work is finished you return to the worship of Krishna. During the working hours one should meditate on performing one’s duty immaculately as a sacrifice in devotion to Krishna, and this will be attractive to everyone. Thus one’s present activities become spiritualized and one becomes happy in Krishna consciousness without a difficult re-arrangement of one’s activities. Everyone should do what they do, but simply do it for Krishna, and thus easily transcend the grip of the material modes.